Marlise Horst, PhD

Dr Horst conducts research in the area of second language vocabulary acquisition; she is interested in corpus-based approaches to investigating lexical development. A current project focuses on the word learning benefits of reading extensively in a second language. This involves collecting a large corpus of simplified texts developed for learners of English (graded readers) and analyzing its lexical content. Another project investigates the use of online computer tools for learning the vocabulary of academic English. With colleagues, she is evaluating a corpus of writing produced by young francophone learners of English. She also teaches courses in second language vocabulary acquisition, the history of English, methodology of ESL teaching, and language testing and evaluation. She has extensive experience of teaching ESL and EFL in North America and abroad; she has taught at universities in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Hong Kong and Canada. 

Educaton

PhD Applied Linguistics, University of Wales, Swansea, 2001
MA Applied Linguistics, Concordia University, 1993
MA English Literature, University of Virginia, 1975
BA English, Eastern Mennonite University, 1973

Professional experience

Assistant Professor
Department of Education, Concordia University, 2001-present

Lecturer, LTA
TESL Centre, Concordia University, 1997-2000

Assistant Lecturer
Division of Language Studies, City University of Hong Kong, 1996-1997
Language Centre, Sultan Qaboos University, 1992-1993
Language Centre, Sultan Qaboos University, 1982-1988
Center for the Study of European Languages & Translation, King Saud University, 1980-1982

Lecturer, TESL Centre
Concordia University, 1988-1990

Courses taught

History of English (APLI613, Concordia University)
Teaching & Learning Vocabulary (APLI 651, Concordia University)
History of English (TESL 351, Concordia University)
Testing, Evaluation & Course Design (TESL 415, Concordia University)
Methodology I (TESL 324, Concordia University)
Methodology II (TESL 424, Concordia University)
Microteaching (TESL 327, Concordia University)
Intro. Teaching & Classroom Observation (TESL 224, Concordia University)
Language Acquisition (TESL 341, Concordia University)
Primary Internship I (TESL 385, Concordia University)
Primary Internship II (TESL 485, Concordia University)
Audio-Visual Aids (TESL 413, Concordia University)
Academic Vocabulary Development (ESL 298B, Concordia University)

• Applied Linguistics
• Learning Objects
• Teacher Training

Research interests and current projects

• Horst, M., Schmitt, D., & Cobb, T. (2004 - 2005). A comparison of computerized and traditional techniques for learning academic vocabulary. TESOL International Research Foundation (TIRF), Priority Research Grant. (US$20.880)
• Social Sciences and Humanities Council (SSHRC) Developing second language vocabulary size and speed through extensive reading.
• Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture (FQRSC)
• Growing Academic Vocabulary in Class and On-line.
• Faculty of Arts and Science, Concordia University Developing second language vocabulary size and speed through extensive reading.

Horst, M. (2005). Learning L2 vocabulary through extensive reading: A measurement study. Canadian Modern Language Review, 61, 355-382.

Horst, M., Cobb, T., & Nicolae, I. (2005). Expanding academic vocabulary with a collaborative on-line database. Language Learning and Technology, 9, 90-110. Online

Cobb, T., & Horst, M. (2004). Is there room for an AWL in French? In P. Bogaards & B. Laufer (Eds.), Vocabulary in a second language. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing.

Cobb, T., & Horst, M. (2001). Reading academic English: Carrying learners across the lexical threshold. In J. Flowerdew & M. Peacock (Eds.), The English for academic purposes curriculum (pp. 315-329). London: Cambridge University Press.

Cobb, T., Greaves, C., & Horst, M. (2001). Peut-on augmenter le rythme d’acquisition lexicale par la lecture ? Une expérience de lecture en français appuyée sur une série de ressources en ligne. In P. Raymond & C. Cornaire (Eds.) Regards sur la didactique des langues secondes (pp. 131-153). Outremont, Quebec: Logiques.

Horst, M., & Cobb, T. (2001). Growing academic vocabulary with a collaborative online database. In B. Morrison, D. Gardner, K. Keobke, & M. Spratt (Eds.), ELT perspectives on IT & multimedia (pp. 189-225). Hong Kong: Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Horst, M., & Meara, P. M. (1999). Test of a model for predicting second language lexical growth through reading. Canadian Modern Language Review, 56, 308-328.

Horst, M., Cobb, T., & Meara, P. M. (1998). Beyond A Clockwork Orange; Acquiring second language vocabulary through reading. Reading in a Foreign Language, 11, 207-223.